CNN

What about this? We should pull everyone out of Iraq and into Afghanistan to finish what was started there. Let the inevitable civil war happen in Iraq. When the dust clears from that go back in and start over with a real plan and people who may be truly ready for the plan.

What's with all the comments asking " why should we tell some other country how to run things?" Have any of you actually read this legislation? It reads, "only if the Iraqi people want it." We're not forcing anything on them. Do your homework before commenting on a bill...it makes you look smarter.

Anyone who knows Iraq well enough, knows there really isn't, nor has
been an "Iraqi" people. They have
been segragating and battling amongst
themselves back to the beginning of
time, and the neo-morons either were
totally in the dark, or simply refused
to acknowledge this, in their pre-meditated and phsycotic extreme need
to remove Hussein (which among a few
other reasons was solely done to restore Daddy Bush's honor). Either
split it up, or GET OUT. No action
coupled with just staying there, will
perpetuate this equation throught eternity.....

Three or four people on here have made my day.

Yes, Joe Biden was definitely the class of the field in last night's debate.

The plan has worked effectively in recent history.

The Kurds would definitely agree, they've been fighting for a homeland for decades since theirs was taken away. Anyone looking for info on that just Google PKK.

The Democrats are making a sore mistake if they put Hillary ahead of Biden. He didn't claim 'executive privilege' on any of the questions in the debate as did The Frontrunner and didn't even flip-flop on the baseball question.

He, Biden and Richardson are the guys that can and should play the experience card. It trumps just saying it.

Have a great day,

Before all the naysayers freak about splitting Iraqi up into regions, do your homework on how that country was formed in the first place. The people in that region – shia's, sunni's and Kurds- had no choice with the formation of Iraq- do you know which country created it and when? Find that out before you go off the deep end thinking these ethnic groups are united in the name of their country.

Wow..."Biden's plan"....but....if you read it – "Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas, who is running for president on the Republican side, was a co-sponsor of the measure"....I mean all the teeth that a non-binding measure has....I personally would toss both Biden and Brownback out...as well as anyone who voted for it....while the concept is sound...its also not the place of the senate to waste time voting on non-binding resolutions...watch CSPAN sometime to see why the House and the Senate are broken....

This is amusing. Everyone here is assuming that Iraq is a sovereign nation, that they have even an iota of say in their fate or governance.

An 'Imperial President' cannot be imperial without an empire, people.

Iraq, like so many subjugated countires before it, is now an American colony and what we say, goes.
Bush and his band of war criminals will decide, in the end, how much ersatz autonomy they will allow Iraq to play at. Iraq's sovereinty ended that day the first boots hit the ground.

To all those who are criticizing Joe Biden's Iraq plan, what is the Iraq plan of the candidate you support?
– Anthony Palmer, Columbia, SC

Freedom Anthony.
ie.., Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The same as you and I. Its for them to decide, we're just helping them gain that opportunity.

Seems quite funny that the dems want to make decisions for the Iraqi’s now that they are no longer oppressed, as if their political performance for us has been any better.
Silly gooses. What are they thinking..

This is absolutely ludacris; first we thrown the country into chaos and now we would like to divide it. Shame on "US". Why don't we divide every freaking country according to our own map and then divide the United States into red and blue state.

WHAT IN THE UNHOLLY HELL... WHAT RIGHT DO WE HAVE TO FORM NEW COUNTRIES? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

It's not do-able. This is exactly the kind of egomaniacal BS that causes people to hate this country.

An outside nation that invaded a soveriegn entity without provocation is NOW going to unilaterally divide the country into three. GREAT PLAN, and as we all know the US's involvement in the Middle East as alway worked out... Really... look at all the success we had.

THIS IS JUST STUPID

I really really like this guy. He is intelligent, experienced, straight-forward, and seems to be a lot more honest and sincere that any other candidate. I hope that when it comes time to vote, people focus more on him. My gut feeling is with this guy and the smart decisions he has made only validate that. I really will cry if Hillary gets elected. And as far as this bill is concerned, its a great idea, but they are going to squabble about the oil for sure. As some areas are going to be better off for that reason than others so im sure there are some kinks that would need to be worked out first. But it seems like this might be something that could work. At least he's making a suggestion that makes sense. Unlike Richardson-who says that "oh im gonna pull ALL the troups out by the end of my first year in office" BLAH BLAH BLAH yah whatever your just trying to get the anti-war votes. And no one else is dumb enough to make that commitment because they dont know what they are getting into. Isnt that funny, just after we heard that President Bush was telling Hillary Clinton -indirectly-that she better not jump into anything because she doesnt know that the view is gonna be from behind his desk? Interesting isnt it?

Ron, TX, it is precisely the fact that the vote was non-binding that makes Obama's absence striking. Surely he had an opinion on the question, one way or another. He's running for the presidency. It is political suicide for him to miss any vote related to the biggest issue of the time. As a member of Congress, voting is the only proof you can offer of where you stand. He just made a huge blunder.

Love Biden and he's the only Dem that has his head put on straight. Like this idea and then they divide the oil by three. This could work.

The borders of present-day Iraq were arbitrarily drawn by the British Empire after the Ottoman Empire crumbled (which was less than a hundred years ago). Of course, this was done with no regard to the cultural differences among the people living within these borders. The main reason there was civil stability during most of that time is because the country had been held together by a dictator. Now, Iraqis are free to let their divisions be known. Does it look to you like they want to peacefully coexist as one nation?

Thank God for Joe Biden. He has the experience and intellect this country, nay, this WORLD, needs!

Barack Obama abstained from voting on something he knew was politically important – Iraq.

What does this tell us? Barack can't abstain from saying where he stands on issues if he is President,can he? So he expects to slip in the way he did in Illinois – on a vague, non-committal face.

Memo to Barack: you might want to let voters know where you stand on important issues and not expect them to usher you in as a blank canvas. That's dangerous, deceptive and wrong.

For all you nay-sayers out there regarding the Biden plan, I ask you this... Why is the US Military building walls dividing Sunni and Shia neighborhoods? Why does the IRAQI constitution have this solution imbedded within it? How many Sunni's have been pushed out of Shia neighborhoods? How many Shia have been pushed out of Sunni neighborhoods? Wake up America!! Biden's plan, albeit non-binding at the moment, is but a small piece of diplomacy that has been absolutely absent in this mess. At least he is doing something and trying to engage the diplomatic process. And for Seekster from Arlington who asked who are we to draw up another country's borders I have 2 responses; Re-take World History classes and, uh, didn't we invade a sovereign nation to start with? We did break it so we need to try to fix it (diplomatically, that is) as best as possible. You can not force democracy on a people that either don't understand it or don't want it. Last point... Biden appears to speaking honestly to the American people. He's got my vote at the moment.

i disagree that there's no mil. solution in Iraq; does the term carpet-bomb man anything to you people ?

I thought our representatives were supposed to, like, represent us, not Iraqis.

I mean, I agree that the federalist system proposed by Biden could be very successful. But it's no business of our government; it's the business of the Iraqis. You can't preach about spreading freedom and self-governing/democracy and then tell another government how to handle their country (especially at the barrel of a hundred thousand US troops).

This makes me sick to my stomach. Dividing up a country on ethnicity? Where is Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson? I have a platform they can preach on now! What kind of sick minded American can even think about passing a resolution like this or supporting our elected officials in it?

What a dumb plan. How do you think the American people would feel about a similar resolution dividing our country into ethnic regions?

Apparently, Berzhinski is correct. We are a 19th colonial power now with the occupation of Iraq and decisions on the geographical borders and political future of that country being decided in Washington.

Oh well. George W wants to go back to the 1890's – looks like he's succeeded.

wow I hear about we need a new direction in Iraq besides stay the course blah blah. So far hes the only one that came up with another course.

This is much better then stay the course blah blah.

You people the are aginst this plan.

1)What other plan do you have?
2)Please dont tell me it still stay the course blah blah. Unless you are mentaly challanged or blind it is not working. Unless you willing to keep that plan for another 100 years or so.
3)What did you thought about how we handles Yugoslavia? Why that plan wont work here? Yugoslavia had the same problems that Iraq is having? But it was handled by a much smarter white house.

The Right Solution, for the Right Reasons, at the RIGHT Time! UN should get involved and conduct an immediate poll of the Iraqis on this issue. I believe this is the only 'Reconciliation' that has a chance of working. Senator Biden, thanks for putting forward a 'practical solution'

Poor Joe Biden doesn't have the celebrity power that Obama and Hillary have. Sad, considering that's what is more important in this country, even though he has WAY more experience.

Splitting the country is not a bad idea since these ethnic/religious divisions are stronger than some B.S. nationalism over there. Balkans, anyone?

Amazing how Alex Jones can say months ago (and still to this day) that this was their plan all along to divide the country, then have people react like its some profund new suggestion. Its quite apparent that this is merely reporting what they had envisioned long long ago. Don't believe me of course, look up the archives yourself.

CNN once again was being less than truthful. Obama missed the vote because he was out of town, Harry Reid told him the vote would not take place today then calledd a floor vote to vote within minutes on the resolution. He could not get back in time. Unless you have some teleportation device that the rest of us know nothing about.

Whose coutry is Iraqi? Who have a say in Iraqi's future? What arrogance was shown by this U.S. Senate vote to divide another country? This is the Washington way, the same way that led us to the Iraqi mess five years ago. The same decision makers may be too old to learn anything from their experience.

This is just another example of some dem. trying to dictate what happens in other countries. Last time I checked Iraq had its own government. Let them make their own decisions.

Since when did the Senate start dictating what happens in Iraq.

WHY do WE have to give the Iraqi Government "their" plan??

How about:

1. We kill terrorists, help train Iraqi Defense/Police, give the Iraqi leaders the chance to continue forming THEIR system of government.

2. We give the Iraqi leaders (NOT through television interviews) but directly – quietly – a timeline for them to get it done and our troops to be pulled out.

3. If the Iraqi leaders squabble and throw away this opportunity to work together, quell sectarian violence, reject Al Qaeda/Iran/Insurgents – then THEY will pay the long-term cost.

We can't do it ALL for them. THEY must pick up the pieces and rebuild.

Good work, Joe. At least someone has put a plan on the table that doesn't include an "American presence for the forseeable future." I too think this could work. At least let's let the Iraqui government (they ARE back from vacation, aren't they?) talk about it. We need a solution, not more complaining, and certainly not the give-up attitude of "stay the course." "The course " is not working!

Frankly most of these so called comments sound like them come from aides to the other presidential candidates in the spin room

this issue is about the blood of American troops and the suffering of their families and the Iraqi people as well

you don't like Joe's plan, come up with a better political solution

Presidential material with a brain, what a novel idea. Those of you so opposed to this are probably too young to remember the former Yugoslavia.

To all of you who disagree with the plan:

What is your candidates plan???

Stay the Course?!?!?

This plan is brilliant. It worked in the Balkans which was at war within itself because of religious reason.

Lets look at the Kurds area, Opera Houses, International Air Traffic, NO TERRORIST ATTACKS!!!!

And can someone answer this:

Whats wrong with a Federal System.

And the Iraqi vote is?

This is obviously only a recommendation because no one's going to force the Iraqis to do anything they don't want to do, as we've learned over the last few years. Biden's plan also happens to be the only real plan anyone has come up with for getting the troops out of Iraq without leaving things even more chaotic than they already are. We're obviously not going to force it...but has anyone, Iraqi, American, or anyone else come up with any other idea?? Everyone would LIKE a strong national government in Iraq...but it's not happening and more and more people, Americans and Iraqis, keep getting killed. Why not suggest the one thing that might have a chance to stop the violence?

Plus, the Iraqi Constitution calls for a federal system like we have here. Biden's plan wouldn't make three countries, it would allow the country's three major regions to set up local governments underneath the national government...kind of like American states. This is something the Iraqis voted on years ago when they approved the Constitution.

That's nice. Let's invade a country, destroy it... THEN divide it up by various ethnicities. I'm SURE that will go smashingly. People love to be segregated and i bet the 2 mile wall that they plan on building to divide these 3 sections will TOTALLY keep people at bay... /sarcasm ... I bet the Sunni, Shia and Kurds will be totally stoked that the US is deciding what's best for them... and I'm sure we'll divide it up fair and square... gag me.

To all those who are criticizing Joe Biden's Iraq plan, what is the Iraq plan of the candidate you support?

Divide up Iraq.

Oh, ok. And how about we install a Christian Coalition Government and Brittany Spears to be the Iraqi Prime Minister.

The IRAQI people will decide their fate from this place forward. We can certainly give recommendation, guidance, etc – but any type of real manipulation will nullify the legitamacy of a formed government.

Besides – with an 18% approval rating, what makes these political geniuses think they can tell Iraqis what to do when they can't even do their own jobs here?

I agree with Biden but what is up with
"Barack Obama skipped the vote"?????

What kind of a leader (or in this case a wannabe leader) would do such a thing?

And the thing about it is, he claims to have experiance, but then shows that to be untrue by missing critical votes.

Posted By Fred, Reston VA : September 26, 2007 6:08 pm
--

I'd hardly call a symbolic non-binding resolution "critical" to anything. Effectively, all the Senators did was take turns patting their backs. No action has just taken place that made Iraq any closer to peace.

Finally!

After all the blood and treasure expended in Iraq we have a non-binding resolution that makes sense. Now, if they could just work towards a similar BINDING resolution.

Senator Biden's plan is remarkably close to some of the recommendations made by the Iraq Study Group. The current administration could have saved countless lives and dollars if they had followed those recommendations long ago.

Apparently Senator Obama needs more time to learn how to be a Senator. He constantly misses important opportunities to stand up and be counted. Senator Obama has given Senator Clinton hell for her vote on the war.

I guess you don't have to answer for a vote, if you don't vote.

That's great. Too bad nobody in Iraq likes the idea.

I agree with Biden but what is up with
"Barack Obama skipped the vote"?????

What kind of a leader (or in this case a wannabe leader) would do such a thing? Every other candidate got their body to the chamber and voted. But I guess NObama was too busy getting "fired up" and "ready to go" to actually do something to help end the war in Iraq. I bet he will show up to vote for more funding. Or maybe he will follow Hillary's lead and stop doing that too.

And the thing about it is, he claims to have experiance, but then shows that to be untrue by missing critical votes.

I hope the Dems don't nominate this loser, because one Walter Mondale is enough.

Biden's amendment was nothing more than bull crap. It is a "sense of the Senate amendment and really means nothing.
Besides, it is the responsibility of the Iragi's to determine how their Country is divided or not divided.

This guy is the only one that can beat a Republican. He has experience and is a down to earth, family values guy that has suffered his share of loss in life. I like this guy. Wake up Dems!

Divide Iraq? Well if nothing else it will unite Iraqis who have consistently said they are opposed to any plan to divide their country.

Besides who are we to draw up another Country's borders for it. How on Earth does the U.S. Senate have the gall to pass legislation concerning the soverignty of a foreign Nation?